Mexico weekly ledger., 1887-12-08
The Message.



President Cleveland shows his
appreciation of the supreme nation,
al question of the hour. His
message is devoted entirely 10 the
necessity of cutting down the
revenue-iust as Speaker Carlisle
made the same necessity the sub
ject of special remark in his speech
of thanks to the House on Monday
The President talks in the spirit of
old and true Democracy when he
says: 1.-The public treasury which
should exist only as u conduit coa-
veying the peoples tribute to its
legitimate objects of expenditure,
becomes a hoarding-plaee of money
needlessly withdrawn from trade
and from the peoples use, thus
clippling our national energies,
suspending our eountry's develop
ment, preventing investment i'll
productive enterprise, threatening
financial disturbance and inviting
schemes of plumber. On the 3oth
of June, 1885, the surplus was ST.
$50, 735; the following year it was
s49, 405, 546, and year later still,
June 50, 1887, it was $685., S49-
and this after setting apart to the
sinking fund, in these three years,
s13S, 0Oo,0 900. To prevent disaster
to business the administration has
done what it could to get the hoard
out of the treasury vaults by
anticipating the payment of OPP
tional bonds, ndpurchasing others
in the market at a premium-and
these operations have afforded
relief. But the cause of the ae-
emulation still remains-and it is
for congress to remove this cause
by reducing the revenue. On the
30th of June next, the surplus, il
allowed to accumulate, will be S140,.
600 1000, and the executive will
be powerless to prevent it.
The message discusses sew.
eral temporary expedients of
fered for getting the surplus into
circulation, only to declare then
Objectionable and .unwise. TIL,
real remedy is to cut down tn,
taxes and leave the money wher,
it belongs-in the pockets of tn,
people-and this, he earnestly re
minds congress, is it's task, and i
must be responsible for whateve
results from a failure to do it.
4 The message is careful not t.
recommend any reduction of eithe
the tax on spirits or tobacco; h
discusses the tariff with great fore
. and spirit, and while deprecatin.
any measure that would jeopar'
investments in manufactures, o
rudely reverse the policy by which
these have been encouraged, plain
ly declares that the time has com
. when the protected manufacture
: must prepare to give up a portion
/ of the special benefits which the.
! enjoy at the cost of their country
/ men-and he shows that this vii
result in advantage to the Who'll
country. This is not a question c
free-trade or protection; it is not
. theory that confronts us, but a cor
dition-and it must be treated ae
cordingly. The President init
mates that the protected manufae
turers get too much of the benefit
, of protection, and labor to little
: and he sharply refers to the comb
nations and trusts among MANI
a facturers to keep down productio
and keep up prices, as an exhib:
ton of the selfishness that usual
{ marks a pampered class.
The message will have agood e1
t feet on congress and the country
I We believe it will do much t
stimulate congress TO frame an
pass a fair and wise reduction {
{ revenue bill, and discourage tn
factions opposition that has d.
Gated two such bills in the la:
f two congresses.
DIR. Brooks and the Presidency